Foundation construction.



110.735,390.l l PATBNTEDAUG-A,1903-.

J. W. KENNEDY.

FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION. APPLIOATIoN FILED MAR. 1e, 1903.

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` No. 735,390. PATENTED AUG. 4,190.3.' e v y J. w. KENNEDY. i foUNDMsmN GGNSTRUGTION.

l APPLMA'JIQ-E FILED MAR. 16. 1903. fouonnr.. 2 SHEETS-sum1: z.

No. r735,390,

Patented August 4, V19023.

OFFICE.

.IOSIAH"W. KENNEDY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURLK.

i FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part or Lettersratent No. 735,390, dated'nugust 4, 1903.

` Application led March 16J 1903.1` Serial No. 147,936. (No model.)

To tZZwhom tm/wy concern:

Be it known that I, JosIAH W, KENNEDY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented acertain new and useful Foundation Construction, of which the following is a specification.

`My invention relates to foundations for building and other structures, and haSfOIts principal object to secure an advantageous distribution of the stresses due to the weight of the superstructure.

It consists in the constructiouand in the` arrangement of and claimed. i i

In the accompanyingdrawings, which form part of this specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they ocparts hereinafter described cur, Figure I is a plan view of a foundationV structure embodying my invention. FigII is a longitudinal'section thereof. Eig. III is a cross-section thereof onthe line III `III of:

Fig. II. FiggIV is a cross-section thereof on the line IV IV of Fig. II. Fig. V is anenlarged detail view cfa vertical longitudinal sectionof the end `portion of a foundation structure. `Fig. VI is a horizontal sectional detail of the iend portion o f a girder, and Fig. VII is a plan view of1 a series of foundation structuresarranged to `constitute the foundation of a building.

My invention comprises an elongated pier or foundation structure consisting of metal members embedded in concrete and arranged to support columns at its ends and intermediate thereof. Preparatory to building the foundation structurean elongated trench of the size and shape of the structure is dug in the ground; The'end portions of the trench are laterally extended on each side, and their bottoms are preferably horizontal. From these horizontal end portions the bottom of the trench inclinesdowuwardly and reaches its greatest depth midway of the length of the trench. Iubuilding the foundation structure the concrete in a plastic condition is filled in to the amount required to properly position the metal member or members and theumore concrete is lled iu to embed said members and properly position others, not

Embedded in the concrete 1 in the widened end portions of the trench are series of rigid girder, whereby said plates form mechanical bonds between their-girders and the concrete.

AFor the same purpose the girders have trans- `v erse projections arranged thereon near their ends-such, for instance, as angle-irons y5, riveted thereon. l. 4

Metal tension-rods 6, extending under the transverse end beams, are anchored near the ends ofthe concrete, as by turning their ends up and over the top of the inmost beams. These inmost bars are smaller orare set lower than the inner bars to allow for the portions ofthe shoes and of the tension-rods intervening betweenthe topsrof the outer bars and the main girders, so that the main girders will have a firm bearingon the transverse bars. The middle portion'of the main girders has a series of hangers or supportingstraps 7 suspended therefromand the middle portions of the tension-rods rest upon these hangers. These hangers are preferably made in the form of U-shaped straps whose ends are screw-threaded. These threaded ends 8 extend upwardly through a perforated bar 9, resting on the girders, and are adjustably supported therefrom by nuts 10, workingon said threaded ends. The hangers are so arranged that the middle portion of the tiensionrods lie close to the under side of the girders and the outer portion of said tension-rods inelines downwardly to the edge of theinmost transverse bars. The hangers thus tie the girders and the tension-rods together, whereby the middle portions of the girders are anchored against upward movement. i

In practice each end of the foundationstructure supports a column ll, andthe superstructure is designed so that thepr-incipal weight is carried by these end columns. One or more columns designed for lighter loads rest upon the middle or intermediate portion of the foundation structure. By this arrangement the weight of the superstructure pro- IQU duces tensile and compressive stresses which are variously distributed in different parts ofA the foundation structure. In the upper portion thereof the principal stress is tension, which is taken up in the main girders and by the tension-rods. In the lower portion of the structure the stress is principally compression and is taken up in the concrete. As the foundation structure is rigid, the weight of the superstructure resting on one end of the foundation structurev tends to balance the weight on the other end thereof and the entire weight is distributed uniformly over an area of ground equal to the area of the hori- Zontal section of the foundation structure.

Fg.- VII illustrates a plan of a foundation for a building embodying my foundation structure. As shown in said figure, a series of foundation structures are arranged parallel with each other and with the columns supported on the ends thereof in proper alinement to carry the external walls of the building and with the intermediate columns arranged to carry an inside wall.

The principal advantages of my invention for the foundations of buildings are that it distributes the weight over a large area of ground and that the greater portion ofthe weight is carried toward the center of-the building. In consequence of this last-mentioned fact an excavation at the side of the building may be made with comparatively little risk to the building and without necessitating the usual shoring. So, too, the foundation need not go as deep as has heretofore been necessary, and consequently there is a considerable saving in the cost of excavation therefor andA in materials and labor.

What I claim is- 1. A foundation structure comprising one or more metal girders extending from wall to wall and resting at their ends on transverselyarranged bars, all embedded in concrete.

2. A foundation structure comprising one or more metal girders resting at their ends upon transversely-arranged bars, and tension-rods, all embedded in concrete.

3. A foundation structure comprising one or more metal girders resting at their ends upon transversely-arranged bars, and tension-rods whose middle portions are close to the under side of the girders, all embedded in concrete.

4. A foundation structure comprising one or more metal girders resting at their ends upon transversely-arranged bars, and tension-rods Whose middle portions are close to f the under side of the girders and whose end portions extend under said transverse bars, all embedded in concrete.

5. A foundation structure comprising one or more metal girders resting at their ends upon transversely-arranged bars, and tension-rods whose middle portions are tied to the middle portions of the girders and whose end portions extend under said transverse bars, all embedded in concrete.

6. A foundation structure comprising one or more metal girders resting attheir ends upon transversely-arranged bars, and tension-rods whose middle portions are close to the under side of the girders and whose end portions extend under said transverse bars and are anchored thereto, all embedded in concrete.

7. A foundation structure comprising one or more metal girders resting at their ends upontransversely-arranged bars, and tension-rods whose middle portions are tied to the middle portions of the girders and whose end portions extend under said transverse bars and are anchored thereto, all embedded in concrete. f

8. A foundation structure comprising one or more metal girders resting at their ends on transversely-arranged bars, all embedded in concrete, the depth of the concrete increasing toward the middle of the girders.

9. A foundation structure comprising one or more metal girders resting at their ends upon transversely-arranged bars, and tension-rods arranged close below the middle portions of said girders, all embedded in concrete, the depth of the concrete increasing toward the middle of the girders.

10. A foundation structure comprising one or more metal girders resting at their ends upon transversely-arranged bars, and tension-rods arranged close below the middle portions of said girders and tied thereto, all embedded in concrete, the depth of the concrete increasing toward the middle of the girders.

11. A foundation structure comprising one or more metal girders resting at their ends on transversely-arranged bars, the ends of said girders having plates secured transversely thereto, all embedded in concrete.

12. A foundation structure comprising one or more metal girders resting at their ends on transversely-arranged bars, the ends of said girders having plates secured transversely thereto and said girders having lateral projections near their end portions, all embedded in concrete.

13. A series of parallel foundation structures each comprising one or more metal girders resting at their ends on transversely-arranged bars, all embedded in concrete, columns supported at the ends of each of said structures and midway between said ends, and a superstructure supported on said columns.

14. A series of parallel foundation structures each comprising one or more metal girders resting at their ends upon transverselyarranged bars, and tension-rods arranged under the middle portions of the girders and close thereto, all embedded in concrete, columns supported at the ends of each of said structures and midway between said ends, and a superstructure supported on said columns.

15. A series of foundation structures each comprising one or more metal'girders resting IOO IIO

'laatse at their ends upon transverselyarranged bars, and tensiondods whose middle portions are close t0 the under side ofthe girders and whose end portions extend Vunder said transverse beams and are anchored, all embedded in concrete,` columns supported at. the ends of said structures and midway between said ends, and a superstructure supported on said columns.

4 16. A series of foundation structures-each comprising one or more metal girders resting `at their ends upon transversely-arranged bars, and tension-rods whose middle portions are close to the under side of the girders and tied thereto and whose end portions extend under said transverse beams and are antion structures, substantially as described.

J OSIAH W. KENNEDY.

Witnesses:

M. A. THOMSON, J. B. MEGOWN. 

